US20070089361A1 - Floral container and methods of use thereof - Google Patents
Floral container and methods of use thereof Download PDFInfo
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- US20070089361A1 US20070089361A1 US11/582,640 US58264006A US2007089361A1 US 20070089361 A1 US20070089361 A1 US 20070089361A1 US 58264006 A US58264006 A US 58264006A US 2007089361 A1 US2007089361 A1 US 2007089361A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- vase
- container
- floral
- flexible
- inner membrane
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- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
- A47G7/00—Flower holders or the like
- A47G7/02—Devices for supporting flower-pots or cut flowers
- A47G7/06—Flower vases
- A47G7/063—Flower vases foldable
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47G—HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT
- A47G7/00—Flower holders or the like
- A47G7/02—Devices for supporting flower-pots or cut flowers
- A47G7/06—Flower vases
- A47G7/07—Guiding means for flowers in vases, e.g. perforated covers
Abstract
A flexible floral container comprising an inner membrane for acting as a reservoir or “catch basin” to minimize water spillage when the flexible floral container having a fluid medium therein is tipped over. The stems of a floral grouping disposed in the flexible floral container provide structural support to the flexible floral container and cooperate to maintain the flexible floral container in a substantially erect condition.
Description
- This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of provisional application U.S. Ser. No. 60/728,539, filed Oct. 20, 2005. The entire contents of the above-referenced application is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference.
- Not Applicable.
- This invention is related to the field of containers for containing cut flowers, and more particularly to such containers which are flexible.
- The present invention is related to a floral container and methods of use thereof. The floral container includes a floral vase having a sidewall, an open upper end, a closed lower end, an outer surface and an inner surface encompassing an interior space. The floral container further includes an inner membrane extending across a portion of the interior space of the vase. In one embodiment, a first portion of the membrane may be attached to a first portion of the inner surface of the vase and at least a second portion attached to a second portion of the inner surface of the vase. In another embodiment, the inner membrane may not be attached to the flexible floral vase.
- In one embodiment, the floral vase, and thus the floral container formed therefrom, are flexible.
- The inner membrane may separate the interior space of the vase into an upper interior space above the inner membrane and a lower interior space below the inner membrane. The inner membrane may comprise at least one opening for allowing passage of water, plant stems, and/or other items or materials therethrough into the lower interior space of the vase.
- The floral container may further include a second inner membrane attached to the inner surface of the vase above or below the first mentioned inner membrane. The inner membrane(s) may be formed or flexible, rigid or semi-rigid materials.
- The floral container may further include an inner tube having an upper end with an upper opening and a lower end with a lower opening. The upper end of the inner tube may be attached to the vase near the upper end thereof such that the upper opening of the inner tube is congruent with the open upper end of the vase. The lower end of the inner tube may be attached to an inner bottom surface of the vase, the inner membrane of the vase, or the inner surface of the vase.
- The floral container may further include a plurality of openings in an upper portion of the vase. Each opening may be sized to receive a plant stem when the upper portion of the vase having the plurality of openings is inverted into the interior space of the vase.
- The floral container may further include a rigid or semi-rigid disk for supporting plant stems disposed within the interior space of the vase. The rigid or semi-rigid disk may be free from attachment to the inner surface of the vase. The rigid or semi-rigid disk may include a plurality of openings for receiving the plant stems. In addition, the rigid or semi-rigid disk may have a central opening and a plurality of peripheral openings outside the central opening. The central opening in the rigid or semi-rigid disk may have a serrated edge and a protuberance extending into the central opening.
- The inner membrane of the floral container may have a substantially flat shape, a substantially conical or convex shape, or a substantially funnel or concave shape.
- The floral container may be constructed of one or more layers of material.
- In another embodiment, the present invention is related to a flexible floral container that includes a flexible vase and a plurality of retaining members. The flexible vase has a sidewall, an open upper end, a closed lower end, an outer surface and an inner surface encompassing an interior space. The plurality of retaining members may be attached to or formed in at least a portion of the sidewall of the vase. Each retaining member is sized to receive at least a portion of at least one plant stem.
- The floral container may further include an inner membrane extending across a portion of the interior space. A first portion of the membrane may be attached to a first portion of the inner surface of the vase and at least a separate second portion attached to a separate second portion of the inner surface of the vase.
- The flexible floral vase of the flexible flora container may be formed of one or more layers of material. In one embodiment, the flexible vase is formed of at least two layers of material, and the plurality of retaining members are attached to or formed in an inner layer of material.
- In yet another embodiment, the present invention is related to a flexible floral container that includes a flexible vase and at least one tube within an interior space of the vase. The flexible vase has having an open upper end, a closed lower end, an outer surface and an inner surface encompassing the interior space. The at least one tube is attached to the inner surface of the vase and is sized to receive a plant stem inserted into the vase through the open upper end.
- The flexible floral container may further include an inner membrane extending across a portion of the interior space, with a first portion of the membrane attached to a first portion of the inner surface of the vase and at least a separate second portion attached to a separate second portion of the inner surface of the vase.
- An upper end of the at least one tube may be attached to the vase near the upper end thereof such that an upper opening of the at least one tube is congruent with the open upper end of the vase. A lower end of the at least one tube may be anchored within the vase. The lower end of the inner tube may be attached to an inner bottom surface of the vase. A lower portion of the inner tube may have a plurality of openings in a sidewall thereof for allowing passage of water or other fluids. The at least one tube may extend from near the open upper end of the vase to near the closed lower end of the vase. In addition, the at least one tube may include a plurality of tubes or tunnels formed within an inner layer of the vase.
- In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a flexible floral container is provided that includes a flexible vase and a stem support assembly. The flexible vase has a sidewall, an open upper end, a closed lower end, an outer surface and an inner surface encompassing an interior space. The stem support assembly includes an upper disk, a lower disk, and a tubular member connecting the upper disk to the lower disk. The upper disk and the lower disk each have at least one opening therein, wherein the at least one opening is sized to receive a plant stem. The upper disk may have a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the lower disk. In addition, the upper disk may have a groove in an outer peripheral edge thereof which extends about the circumference of the upper disk, wherein the groove can receive a securing element for securing the vase to the upper disk.
- The flexible container may further include an inner membrane extending across a portion of the interior space, with a first portion of the membrane attached to a first portion of the inner surface of the vase and at least a separate second portion attached to a separate second portion of the inner surface of the vase.
- The present invention is also related to a method of providing a plant package. The method includes providing any of the floral containers described herein above, providing at least one cut flower having a stem, and disposing at least a portion of the stem of the at least one cut flower within an interior space of the floral container. The method may further include securing the floral container about the at least one cut flower via a securing element.
- In another embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of cut flowers are provided and disposed within any of the floral containers described herein. In such method, at least a portion of the stems of the cut flowers are disposed through the opening(s) formed in an inner membrane (or retaining members, tube or stem support assembly) so that the stems assume a tripod or tipi shape and provide structural integrity to the floral container and thus cooperate to maintain the floral container in a substantially erect condition.
- The present invention is also related to plant packages formed by the methods described herein above.
- Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying figures and appended claims.
-
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a flexible container constructed in accordance with the present invention. -
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of an inner membrane of the flexible container ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternate configuration of a flexible container of the present invention. -
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternate configuration of a flexible container of the present invention. -
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternate configuration of a flexible container of the present invention. -
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternate configuration of a flexible container of the present invention. -
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternate configuration of a flexible container of the present invention. -
FIG. 8 is a top plan view of an alternate configuration of the inner membrane of the flexible container ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 9 is a top plan view of an alternate configuration of the inner membrane of the flexible container ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a plant package having cut flowers and the flexible container ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 10 a is a cross-sectional view of the plant package ofFIG. 10 including a securing element disposed thereabout. -
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the plant package ofFIG. 10 a tipped over on its side to demonstrate how water in the flexible container is captured by the inner membrane. -
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the flexible container of the present invention. -
FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the flexible container ofFIG. 12 containing cut flowers. -
FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the flexible container of the present invention. -
FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the flexible container ofFIG. 14 containing cut flowers. -
FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the flexible container of the present invention. -
FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the flexible container ofFIG. 16 containing cut flowers. -
FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the flexible container of the present invention. -
FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the flexible container of the present invention. -
FIG. 20 is a plan view of the upper support disk of the flexible container ofFIG. 19 . -
FIG. 21 is a plan view of an alternate version of the upper support disk of the flexible container ofFIG. 19 . -
FIG. 22 is a plan view of an alternate version of the upper support disk of the flexible container ofFIG. 19 . -
FIG. 23 is a plan view of an alternate version of the upper support disk of the flexible container ofFIG. 19 . -
FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the flexible container of the present invention. -
FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the flexible container of the present invention. -
FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of the flexible container ofFIG. 25 containing cut flowers. -
FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the flexible container of the present invention. -
FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the flexible container of the present invention. -
FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the flexible container of the present invention. -
FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional view of the flexible container ofFIG. 29 containing cut flowers. -
FIG. 31 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the flexible container of the present invention. -
FIG. 32 is a top plan view of the flexible container ofFIG. 31 . -
FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view of the flexible container ofFIG. 31 containing cut flowers. -
FIG. 34 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the flexible container of the present invention. -
FIG. 35 is a cross-sectional view of the flexible container ofFIG. 34 containing cut flowers. -
FIG. 36 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the flexible container of the present invention. -
FIG. 37 is a top plan view of the flexible container ofFIG. 36 . -
FIG. 38 is a perspective view of a stem support assembly for use in a flexible container. -
FIG. 39 is a perspective view of the stem support assembly ofFIG. 38 disposed within a flexible container with cut flowers. -
FIG. 40 is a cross-sectional view of the stem support assembly ofFIG. 38 disposed within a flexible container with cut flowers. - The present invention contemplates a flexible floral container for containing cut flowers. The flexible floral container is preferably constructed so as to be free-standing when at least partially filled with water or other medium which, along with one or more stems of a floral grouping disposed therein, serves as a ballast. The flexible floral container comprises a flexible floral vase and a membrane disposed therein, wherein the membrane functions to maintain the stems of a floral grouping in a substantially erect position and prevents the flexible floral container from tipping over, thus allowing one or more stems of the floral grouping to act as structural members for maintaining the flexible floral container in a substantially erect condition.
- In one embodiment, shown in
FIG. 1 , a flexible floral container (also referred to herein as “container”, “flexible floral vase” or simply “vase”) of the present invention is designated by thegeneral reference numeral 10. Thecontainer 10 comprises a flexiblefloral vase 12 and aninner membrane 14. The flexiblefloral vase 12 may be formed of a bag, sleeve or sheet of material formed into a vase-type structure. The flexiblefloral vase 12 may be constructed from a waterproof material, or the flexiblefloral vase 12 may be constructed of multiple layers of material wherein at least an inner layer thereof is waterproof. The flexiblefloral vase 12 has a closedlower end 16 having a bottom 18, anupper end 20 which is preferably open, and asidewall 22. Thesidewall 22 has aninner surface 24 and anouter surface 26, and the bottom 18 has aninner surface 28 and anouter surface 30. Theinner surfaces interior space 32 within thevase 12. In certain embodiments theupper end 20 is open, but in other embodiments theupper end 20 may be closed. Theinner membrane 14 has anupper surface 34, alower surface 36, and an outer peripheral edge 38 (seeFIG. 2 ). Theinner membrane 14 may be provided with any shape, and a square shape is shown inFIG. 2 for the purposes of illustration only; however, it is to be understood that theinner membrane 14 may have a circular, oval, elliptical, rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal, pentagonal, or trapezoidal shape, or any other shape known in the art. In certain embodiments, theinner membrane 14 is provided with a shape that matches the inner circumference (or other perimeter shape) of thevase 12. - The
inner membrane 14 may be attached to at least a portion of theinner surface 24 of thevase 12. Theinner membrane 14 may be partially or completely attached along its outerperipheral edge 38 or along a portion of theinner membrane 14 near the outerperipheral edge 38. Theinner membrane 14 may be attached to theinner surface 24 of thevase 12 by any appropriate means, including but not limited to, heat sealing, welding, taping, and adhesive or cohesive bonding materials. In alternative embodiments, theinner membrane 14 may not be attached to thevase 12, as described in greater detail herein after. - The
inner membrane 14 may have at least oneopening 40 formed therein; optionally, theinner membrane 14 may be formed of a sufficiently thin material or may have portions thereof that are sufficiently thinner than the remainder of theinner membrane 14 such that at least oneopening 40 can easily be made therein, as discussed in more detail herein below. The one ormore openings 40 ininner membrane 14 may be positioned more or less in a middle portion (FIG. 2 ) therein, or in a more peripheral portion thereof, or both. In certain embodiments, at least one of the one ormore openings 40 are positioned in close proximity to the outerperipheral edge 38 of theinner membrane 14, so that stems of flowers inserted therethrough can be positioned in close proximity to thesidewall 22 of thevase 12 and provide structural support thereto. - The
inner membrane 14 may be constructed without one or morepreconstructed openings 40. In such an embodiment, theinner membrane 14 may not be connected completely along the outerperipheral edge 38 to theinner surface 24 of thevase 12, and at least oneopening 40 is formed between theinner surface 24 of thevase 12 and an unattached portion of the outerperipheral edge 38 of theinner membrane 14. Alternatively, theinner membrane 14 may be completely attached along the outerperipheral edge 38 thereof to theinner surface 24 of thevase 12, and theinner membrane 14 may be constructed of a material which can be readily pierced by a stem of a plant or cut flower to form one ormore openings 40. - The
inner membrane 14 may be any shape appropriate for a shape of thevase 12. For example, if thevase 12 when opened has a shape which is square or rectangular in cross-section, theinner membrane 14 may have a square or rectangular shape, respectively. Alternatively, when thevase 12 when open has a circular, oval, or elliptical shape in cross-section, theinner membrane 14 may have a circular, oval or elliptical shape, respectively. - The flexible
floral vase 12 or any other vase shown herein may have any one of a variety of shapes. In certain embodiments thevase 12 has a shape of a frustum (i.e., having a truncated top), when open. For example thevase 12 may have a frusto-conical shape 42 (as shown inFIG. 3 ). Similarly, thevase 12 may have a frusto-polyhedral shape, including, but not limited to, a frusto-tetrahedron 44 (a three-sided pyramid with a flat (open) top, as shown inFIG. 4 ) a frusto-pentahedron 46 (a four-sided pyramid, as shown inFIG. 5 ), a frusto-hexahedron 48 (a five-sided pyramid, as shown inFIG. 6 ), and a frusto-heptahedron 50 (a six-sided pyramid, as shown inFIG. 7 ). Optionally, thevase 12 may have a more cylindrical shape without a substantial taper. Theinner membrane 14 may have a shape which corresponds to a transection of thevase 12 within which it is disposed; for example, the frusto-pyramidal container 46 ofFIG. 5 would have a square-shapedinner membrane 14, while the frusto-hexagonal container 48 ofFIG. 6 would have a pentagon-shapedinner membrane 14. - The flexible
floral vase 12 may be constructed to have an initially flattened condition to promote ease of shipping and storage. Thevase 12 may have appropriately positioned gussets or folds in thesidewall 22 and/or bottom 18 for enabling thevase 12 to be opened from the flattened condition or collapsed from the opened condition to a flattened condition. Examples of how avase 12 could be constructed to have such gussets or folds are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,301 which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. - As noted above, the
inner membrane 14 may have a plurality ofopenings 40, as shown inFIG. 2 , for receiving plant stems. Alternatively, as shown inFIG. 8 , aninner membrane 52 is shown as having asingle opening 54 for receiving one or more plant stems. - While the opening(s) of the inner membranes have been shown herein previously as being circular in shape, it is to be understood that the opening(s) may assume any shape that allows the inner membrane to function in accordance with the present invention. Shown in
FIG. 9 is another embodiment of an inner membrane, designated therein byreference numeral 56, which has asingle opening 58 which has a serratedinner edge 60 for enhancing the stabilizing effect of theinner membrane 56 against the stems of the plants inserted therein. - Returning now to a method of use of the flexible
floral container 10 of the present invention, as shown inFIG. 1 , theinner membrane 14 substantially separates theinterior space 32 into an upperinterior space 62 above theinner membrane 14 and a lowerinterior space 64 below theinner membrane 14. The lowerinterior space 64 serves generally as a reservoir for holding water or any other fluid or granular growth or retaining medium disposed within thecontainer 10. - Shown in
FIG. 10 andFIG. 10 a is the flexiblefloral container 10 ofFIG. 1 having a plurality ofcut flowers 66 having stems 68 disposed therein. The stems 68 are positioned in a manner that forms a tripod or tipi shape that allows the stems 68 to act as structural members and cooperate with the flexiblefloral container 10 to maintain aplant package 74 formed therefrom in a substantially erect condition. Disposed within the lowerinterior space 64 below theinner membrane 14 is a quantity ofwater 70 or other fluid or granular growth or retaining medium. Theinner membrane 14, while serving to gather and support the stems 68 of the cutflowers 66, also functions as a “catch basin” or “reservoir” to prevent substantial amounts of thewater 70 or other medium from spilling from thecontainer 10 if thecontainer 10 is tipped over, falls over or collapses. As shown inFIG. 11 , if thecontainer 10 with thecut flowers 66 andwater 70 therein falls over, most of thewater 70 is retained by theinner membrane 14 within the lowerinterior space 64, while a small portion of thewater 70 may spill into the upperinterior space 62, thus preventing a major loss of thewater 70 and the concomitant damage which might be caused due to the spillage ofwater 70 or other medium from thecontainer 10. - In one embodiment the
vase 12 of thecontainer 10 is constructed of one or more layers of material, wherein at least one of the layers (or a combination of two or more layers) is a waterproof material such as a polymer film, including but not limited to, polyolefin films such as polyethylene and polypropylene. One or more layers of material from which thevase 12 is constructed may be a non-waterproof material, such as but not limited to, cloth, fabrics, paper, porous polymeric materials or the like. Such materials will have been rendered waterproof by lamination, attachment or use in combination with to a waterproof material such as a polyolefin such as polyethylene or polypropylene. Decorative patterns, designs, effects, colors, finishes, or materials may be applied to theinner surface 24 and/orouter surface 22 of thevase 12 of thecontainer 10 for creating a decorative effect on thecontainer 10. - The
container 10 optionally may be secured about the stems 68 of the cutflowers 66 disposed therein via a securingelement 72 as shown inFIG. 10A . The securingelement 72 may be a band, including elastic or rubber bands. The securingelement 72 may be any other type of material that can secure thecontainer 10 about the stems 68 of the cutflowers 66, such as but not limited to, an adhesive, a cohesive, a string or elastic piece of material, non-elastic piece of material, a round piece of material, a flat piece of material, a ribbon, a piece of paper strip, a piece of plastic strip, a piece of wire, a tape, a staple, a tie wrap or a twist tie or combinations thereof or any other device capable of gathering portions of thecontainer 10 to secure thecontainer 10 about thecut flowers 66. - While
cut flowers 66 are illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that the present invention may be utilized with cut plants or a floral grouping as well. The term “floral grouping” as used herein means fresh cut flowers, dried cut flowers, cut plants, floral arrangements, floral bouquets, artificial flowers or plants, whole plants, including roots, and any other secondary plants or ornaments which add to the overall aesthetics of the arrangement with thecontainer 10, as well as any combination thereof. - The
container 10 with thecut flowers 66 disposed therein, and optionally a securingelement 72 disposed thereabout, together comprise aplant package 74. The plant package may further comprise a fluid medium, growth medium or retainingmedium 70, such as but not limited to, water, disposed therein. - An alternate embodiment of the floral container of the present invention is shown in
FIGS. 12 and 13 and is designated therein by thegeneral reference numeral 10 a.Container 10 a is substantially the same ascontainer 10 exceptcontainer 10 a has a firstinner membrane 14 a with anopening 40 and a secondinner membrane 80 having at least oneopening 81 formed therein. The at least oneopening 81 of the secondinner membrane 80 may be positioned at the same location or at a different location when compared to the at least one opening 40 a of the firstinner membrane 14 a ofcontainer 10 a, in a position above the firstinner membrane 14 a (both of the at least oneopenings openings 40 described previously). In one embodiment, the secondinner membrane 80 is attached to aninner surface 24 a of thevase 12 a in a manner similar to that ofinner membrane 14 a which is attached in a similar manner. Alternatively, the secondinner membrane 80 may not be attached to thevase 12 a. - As shown in
FIG. 13 , cutflowers 66 are disposed within thevase 12 a in a manner similar tocontainer 10 except the stems 68 are inserted through theopenings inner membrane 14 a and the secondinner membrane 80, respectively, thereby forming aplant package 74 a. - In
FIG. 13 , theinner membranes single openings flowers 66 cannot form the tripod or tipi shape discussed herein above so as to provide structural support to thefloral container 10 a. Therefore, thevase 12 a of thefloral container 10 a must be formed of a rigid or semi-rigid material that allows thefloral container 10 a to maintain a substantially erect condition in the absence of the cutflowers 66. However, it is to be understood that afloral vase 12 a may be constructed of a flexible material if theinner membranes openings flowers 68 are disposed therein, the stems 66 assume a tripod or tipi shape and thus provide structural support to thefloral container 10 a. - Shown in
FIGS. 14 and 15 is an alternate embodiment of the container of the present invention designated by thegeneral reference numeral 10 b.Container 10 b comprises avase 12 b having aninner membrane 14 b disposed therein as previously described. Theinner membrane 14 b is shown as being attached to thevase 12 b for illustration purposes only, and it is to be understood that theinner membrane 14 b may not be attached to thevase 12 b. Thevase 12 b has a closedlower end 16 b having a bottom 18 b, and anupper end 20 b which may be open. Thevase 12 b has asidewall 22 b which has aninner surface 24 b and anouter surface 26 b. The bottom 18 b has aninner surface 28 b and anouter surface 30 b. Theinner membrane 14 b has anupper surface 34 b and alower surface 36 b and at least oneopening 40 b having a configuration similar toopenings 40 discussed previously.Inner membrane 14 b differs frominner membrane 14 primarily in thatinner membrane 14 b has a “bag-like” shape, for example a conical (convex) shape, wherein theinner membrane 14 b has anupper end 82 disposed in a direction toward theupper end 20 b of thevase 12 b. Depending on the shape of thevase 12 b (as described previously for vase 12), theinner membrane 14 b may merely be a single sheet of material attached at two ends thereof to portions of theinner surface 24 b of thevase 12 b, or may have a shape which corresponds to a transection of the shape of thevase 12 b within which theinner membrane 14 b is attached. Shown inFIG. 15 is aplant package 74 b comprising thecontainer 10 b, withcut flowers 66 and water or growing or retainingmedium 70 disposed therein. The stems 68 form a tripod or tipi shape that provides structural integrity to theplant package 74 b. - Shown in
FIGS. 16-17 is an alternate embodiment of the container of the present invention, designated generally by thereference numeral 10 c.Container 10 c has avase 12 c with aninner membrane 14 c attached to aninner surface 24 c thereof (however, it is to be understood that theinner membrane 14 c may not be attached to thevase 12 c). Theinner membrane 14 c is similar toinner membrane 14 b, except that theinner membrane 14 c has an inverted “bag-like” shape such that theinner membrane 14 c is attached to a portion of theinner surface 24 c of thevase 12 c wherein theinner membrane 14 c has alower end 82 c which is pointed in a direction downwardly toward a bottom 18 c of thevase 12 c, such that theinner membrane 14 c has a cup, or funnel (concave) shape. Aplant package 74 c is shown inFIG. 17 , wherein theplant package 74 c comprises thecontainer 10 c having cutflowers 66 and water or growing or retainingmedium 70 disposed therein, and having thecontainer 10 c optionally secured thereto via a securing element (not shown) as discussed previously. - Shown in
FIG. 18 is another embodiment of the present invention.Container 10 d is similar tocontainer 10 c in that it has aninner membrane 14 d which has a shape similar to theinner membrane 14 c, except theinner membrane 14 d is attached to aninner surface 24 d of thevase 12 d in close proximity to an opening in anupper end 20 d of thevase 12 d. - The
containers - An alternate embodiment of the invention designated as
container 10 e is shown inFIG. 19 .Container 10 e as shown is substantially similar to container 10 (or anyother container 10 a-10 d) in that it comprises avase 12 e and aninner membrane 14 e attached to aninner surface 24 e of thevase 12 e (and cutflowers 66 and water or growing or retainingmedium 70 disposed in thecontainer 10 e to form aplant package 74 e). Theplant package 74 e differs in thatcontainer 10 e further comprises astem positioning member 84, such as but not limited to, an upper support disk constructed of a rigid or semi-rigid material, which may be a plastic or polymeric material. Thestem positioning member 84 has at least oneopening 86 through which at least onestem 68 of at least onecut flower 66 can be disposed. Thestem 68 further passes through anopening 40 e in theinner membrane 14 e as previously described. The at least oneopening 86 of thestem positioning member 84 can be configured in a variety of manners such as shown for example but not by way of limitation, the four openings instem positioning members FIGS. 20-23 , respectively. In one embodiment, the stem positioning member 84 (or 84 a-84 c) is positioned near anupper end 20 e of thevase 12 e. Optionally, thecontainer 10 e is secured about thecut flowers 66 by a securing element (not shown) as described herein previously. Alternatively, thestem positioning member 84 may be used alone as a support device with avase 12 ee having no inner membrane wherein thevase 12 ee,stem positioning member 84, cutflowers 66 and securingelement 72 disposed thereabout form aplant package 74 ee (FIGS. 24A and 24B ). InFIG. 24A , thestem positioning member 84 is attached to thevase 74 ee; inFIG. 24B , thestem positioning member 84 is not attached to thevase 74 ee. - An alternate version of the invention is shown in
FIGS. 25-26 ascontainer 10 f.Container 10 f is similar to any of containers 10-10 ee.Container 10 f comprises avase 12 f and aninner membrane 14 f.Vase 12 f comprises asidewall 22 f, alower end 16 f, an openupper end 20 f and at least oneopening 86 in a portion of thesidewall 22 f, such as but not limited to, in close proximity to theupper end 20 f. The at least oneopening 86 is sized to receive at least onestem 68 of at least onecut flower 66 therethrough. In use, anupper portion 88 of thevase 12 f is inverted into aninterior space 32 f of thevase 12 f wherein the at least oneopening 86 can receive thestem 68 as shown inFIG. 26 wherein thecut flowers 66 are supported within thecontainer 10 f to form aplant package 74 f. - A further embodiment of the present invention is shown in
FIG. 27 and is designated ascontainer 10 g therein.Container 10 g is constructed in a manner similar to any of containers 10-10 f except that the inner membrane 14-14 f is substituted with a membrane which has a shape of a tube, and which is designated herein asinner tube 90. Theinner tube 90 is disposed withinvase 12 g ofcontainer 10 g in a more or less vertical orientation (however, it is to be understood that theinner tube 90 may be disposed in a in a diagonal orientation, if desired).Inner tube 90 has asidewall 92, an openupper end 94, alower end 96, and at least oneopening 98 in a lower portion of thesidewall 92 in close proximity to thelower end 96. Theinner tube 90 is attached at theupper end 94 thereof to a portion of asidewall 22 g of thevase 12 g near anupper end 20 g thereof. Similarly, theinner tube 90 is attached at thelower end 96 thereof to a portion of a bottom 18 g of thevase 12 g. Aninterior space 32 g of thevase 12 g is therefore subdivided generally into a centralinterior space 100 within theinner tube 90 and a peripheralinterior space 102 outside of theinner tube 90. - In yet another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in
FIG. 28 , acontainer 10 h is provided which comprises avase 12 h, aninner membrane 14 h which is similar to any of inner membranes 14-14 f, and aninner tube 90 h which is similar to theinner tube 90 described herein before.Inner tube 90 h may be connected toinner membrane 14 h and/or to a bottom 18 h of thevase 12 h. In other respects,container 10 h is similar to any one of containers 10-10 g. - In an alternative embodiment shown in
FIG. 29 , the invention comprises acontainer 10 i which comprises avase 12 i, aninner membrane 14 i (similar to other inner membranes described above), and aninner tube 90 i which is attached toinner membrane 14 i but not to a bottom 18 i of thevase 12 i, in contrast to thecontainer 10 h shown inFIG. 28 .FIG. 30 shows aplant package 74 i comprising thecontainer 10 i, cutflowers 66 and water or growing or retainingmedium 70 disposed therein. In other respects,container 10 i is similar tocontainer 10 h and, where applicable, to containers 10-10 g. - In yet another embodiment, the present invention comprises a
container 10 j as shown inFIGS. 31-33 .Container 10 j (as shown inFIG. 31 and in the top plan view ofFIG. 32 ) comprises avase 12 j (having a bottom 18 j and anupper end 20 j), and a retainingmember 90 j, such as an inner tube having anupper end 94 j and alower end 96 j. The innertube retaining member 90 j is connected at itsupper end 94 j tovase 12 j in a manner similar to that shown forcontainer 10 g. However,container 10 j differs fromcontainer 10 g in that thelower end 96 j of the innertube retaining member 10 j does not extend completely to bottom 18 j ofvase 12 j but rather is attached thereto via at least oneanchor 104. The openlower end 96 j is therefore open to aninterior space 32 j of thevase 12 j. - The term “retaining member” as used herein will be understood to refer to any structure that limits movement of an element of a floral grouping for decorative or structural purposes. While particular examples of retaining members that may be utilized in accordance with the present invention have been described herein, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to such embodiments; rather, any element that may function as a retaining member as described herein also falls within the scope of the present invention.
- Illustrated in
FIG. 33 is aplant package 74j comprising container 10 j, cutflowers 66 and water or growing or retainingmedium 70 disposed therein, and thecontainer 10 j secured about thecut flowers 66 via anoptional securing element 72 as described previously herein. Inother respects container 10 j is the same as containers 10-10 i, where applicable, as described elsewhere herein. - In a further embodiment, the invention comprises a
container 10 k as shown inFIGS. 34-35 .Container 10 k comprises avase 12 k having a lower end 16 k comprising asidewall 22 k having aninner surface 24 k and anouter surface 26 k, and aninterior space 32 k. - The
container 10 k further comprises a plurality of retaining members such as tubes ortunnels 110 within theinterior space 32 k, each of which is attached to a portion of theinner surface 24 k of thesidewall 22 k either along the entire length of eachtunnel 110 or along only one or more discrete portions of eachtunnel 110. Thetunnels 100 may be directly attached to theinner surface 24 k of thesidewall 22 k, or thetunnels 110 may be attached via at least oneanchor 112. Eachtunnel 110 is sized to contain at least onestem 68 of at least onecut flower 66 as shown inFIG. 35 . Aplant package 74 k is shown inFIG. 35 as comprising thecontainer 10 k and at least onecut flower 66 within at least onetunnel 110 of thecontainer 10 k, and water or growing or retainingmedium 70 disposed in thecontainer 10 k.Container 10 k may further comprise an inner membrane as shown in any other container shown herein.Container 10 k is also constructed in a manner similar to any container 10-10 j as shown herein except as described above. - Yet another version of the invention is shown in
FIGS. 36-37 ascontainer 10 m.Container 10 m comprises avase 12 m which has alower end 16 m, a bottom 18 m, anupper end 20 m, asidewall 22 m and anouter surface 24 m, and aninterior space 32 m. Thecontainer 10 m further comprises a plurality of retaining members such asloops 114 attached to theinner surface 24 m of thesidewall 22 m. Theloops 114 function in a manner similar to thetunnels 110 ofcontainer 10 k, and in effect are miniature tunnels for holding at least onestem 68 of at least onecut flower 66 as shown inFIG. 36A (thereby providing aplant package 74 m).Container 10 m may further comprise an inner membrane as discussed elsewhere herein.Container 10 m is also constructed in a manner similar to any of container 10-10 k as shown herein except as described above. - In
FIG. 36B , the plurality of loops are integrally formed in at least one layer of the material from which thevase 12 m is constructed. Anupper loop 114 allows a portion of astem 68 to penetrate through at least one layer of the material from which thevase 12 m is constructed, while alower loop 114 allows thestem 68 to penetrate back through the layer(s) of material and thus be positioned within theinterior space 32 m. In one embodiment, thestem 68 penetrates through theouter surface 24 m, while in other embodiments, a portion of thestem 68 residing between the upper andlower loops 114 is disposed within thesidewall 22 m, in between the inner andouter surfaces - In an alternative embodiment the container of the present invention may comprise a
container 10 n as shown inFIGS. 38-40 .FIG. 38 shows astem support assembly 116 for supporting a plurality ofcut flowers 66 disposed within thecontainer 10 n.Stem support assembly 116 comprises anupper disk 118 and alower disk 120 which are connected via atubular member 122. Eachdisk openings cut flowers 66 can be inserted. Theupper disk 118 may have a diameter which is less than a diameter of thelower disk 120. Eachdisk disks vase 12 n of thecontainer 10 n is constructed to have in transverse cross-section, for example a square, rectangle, triangle, pentagon or hexagon. Furthermore, theupper disk 118 may have agroove 128 in theouter periphery 130 thereof for receiving a securingelement 72 when such asecuring element 72 is used to secure thecontainer 10 n about thestem support assembly 116 and stems 68 as shown inFIGS. 39 and 40 . In use, thestem support assembly 116 is disposed within thevase 12 n of thecontainer 10 n and is used to support stems 68 ofcut flowers 66 inserted through theopenings disks tubular member 122 may be hollow to allow passage of water or growing or retainingmedium 70 therethrough. Thecontainer 10 n, including thestem support assembly 116, and cutflowers 66 comprise aplant package 74 n. Thestem support assembly 116 may be constructed of any material which functions in accordance with the present invention, such as but not limited to, a plastic or polymeric material. - While the invention is described herein in connection with certain embodiments so that aspects thereof may be more fully understood and appreciated, it is not intended that the invention be limited to these particular embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended that all alternatives, modifications and equivalents are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Thus the examples described below, which include certain embodiments, will serve to illustrate the practice of this invention, it being understood that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of preferred embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of procedures as well as of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. Changes may be made in the formulation of the various compositions described herein or in the steps or the sequence of steps of the methods described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described and claimed herein.
Claims (29)
1. A floral container, comprising:
a floral vase having a sidewall, an open upper end, a closed lower end, an outer surface and an inner surface encompassing an interior space; and
at least one inner membrane extending across a portion of the interior space of the vase, wherein the at least one inner membrane comprises at least one opening formed therein for allowing passage of at least one flower or plant stem therethrough.
2. The floral container of claim 1 wherein a first portion of the at least one membrane is attached to a first portion of the inner surface of the vase and at least a second portion is attached to a second portion of the inner surface of the vase.
3. The floral container of claim 1 wherein the at least one inner membrane separates the interior space of the vase into an upper interior space above the at least one inner membrane and a lower interior space below the at least one inner membrane such that the at least one opening allows passage of the at least one flower or plant stem into the lower interior space of the vase.
4. The floral container of claim 1 wherein the floral vase is rigid or semi-rigid.
5. The floral container of claim 1 wherein the floral vase is flexible.
6. The floral container of claim 1 wherein the at least one inner membrane is rigid or semi-rigid.
7. The floral container of claim 1 wherein the inner membrane is flexible.
8. The floral container of claim 1 further comprising a rigid or semi-rigid disk for supporting plant stems disposed within the interior space of the vase, the rigid or semi-rigid disk free from attachment to the inner surface of the vase.
9. The floral container of claim 1 wherein the inner membrane has a shape selected from the group consisting of substantially flat, substantially conical or convex, and substantially funnel or concave.
10. The floral container of claim 1 , wherein the flexible floral vase is constructed of one or more layers of material.
11. A flexible floral container, comprising:
a flexible vase having a sidewall, an open upper end, a closed lower end, an outer surface and an inner surface encompassing an interior space; and
a plurality of retaining members attached to or formed in at least a portion of the sidewall of the vase, each retaining member sized to receive at least a portion of at least one plant stem.
12. The flexible floral container of clam 11 further comprising an inner membrane extending across a portion of the interior space.
13. The flexible floral container of claim 12 , wherein a first portion of the inner membrane is attached to a first portion of the inner surface of the vase and at least a separate second portion of the inner membrane is attached to a separate second portion of the inner surface of the vase.
14. The flexible floral container of claim 11 , wherein the flexible vase is formed of one or more layers of material.
15. The flexible floral container of claim 11 , wherein the flexible vase is formed of at least two layers of material, and wherein the plurality of retaining members are attached to or formed in an inner layer of material.
16. A flexible floral container, comprising:
a flexible vase having a sidewall, an open upper end, a closed lower end, an outer surface and an inner surface encompassing an interior space; and
a stem support assembly comprising an upper disk, a lower disk, and a tubular member connecting the upper disk to the lower disk, the upper disk and the lower disk each having at least one opening therein, the at least one opening sized to receive a plant stem, and wherein the upper disk has a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the lower disk.
17. The flexible floral container of clam 16 wherein the upper disk has a groove in an outer peripheral edge thereof which extends about the circumference of the upper disk, wherein the groove can receive a securing element for securing the vase to the upper disk.
18. The flexible container of clam 16 further comprising an inner membrane extending across a portion of the interior space, with a first portion of the membrane attached to a first portion of the inner surface of the vase and at least a separate second portion attached to a separate second portion of the inner surface of the vase.
19. A method of providing a plant package, comprising the steps of:
providing at least one cut flower having a stem;
providing a floral container comprising:
a floral vase having a sidewall, an open upper end, a closed lower end, an outer surface and an inner surface encompassing an interior space; and
at least one inner membrane extending across a portion of the interior space of the vase, wherein the at least one inner membrane comprises at least one opening formed therein for allowing passage of at least one flower or plant stem therethrough; and
disposing at least a portion of the stem of the at least one cut flower within the interior space of the floral vase of the floral container.
20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of securing the floral container about the at least one cut flower via a securing element.
21. The method of claim 19 wherein the floral vase of the floral container is rigid or semi-rigid.
22. A method of providing a plant package, comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of cut flowers having stems;
providing a floral container comprising:
a floral vase having a sidewall, an open upper end, a closed lower end, an outer surface and an inner surface encompassing an interior space; and
at least one inner membrane extending across a portion of the interior space of the vase, wherein the at least one inner membrane comprises at least one opening formed therein for allowing passage of at least one flower or plant stem therethrough; and
disposing at least a portion of the stems of the plurality of cut flowers through the at least one opening formed in the at least one inner membrane of the floral container whereby the stems assume a tripod or tipi shape and provide structural integrity to the floral container and thus cooperate to maintain the floral container in a substantially erect condition.
23. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of securing the floral container about the cut flowers via a securing element.
24. The method of claim 22 wherein the floral vase of the floral container is rigid or semi-rigid.
25. The method of claim 22 wherein the floral vase of the floral container is flexible.
26. The method of claim 22 wherein the at least one inner membrane of the floral container is rigid or semi-rigid.
27. The method of claim 22 wherein the at least one inner membrane of the floral container is flexible.
28. A plant package, comprising:
a floral container comprising:
a floral vase having a sidewall, an open upper end, a closed lower end, an outer surface and an inner surface encompassing an interior space; and
at least one inner membrane extending across a portion of the interior space of the vase, wherein the at least one inner membrane comprises at least one opening formed therein for allowing passage of at least one flower or plant stem therethrough; and
a plurality of cut flowers having stems, wherein at least a portion of the stems of the plurality of cut flowers are disposed through the at least one opening formed in the at least one inner membrane of the floral container whereby the stems assume a tripod or tipi shape and provide structural integrity to the floral container and thus cooperate to maintain the floral container in a substantially erect condition.
29. The plant package of claim 28 , further comprising a securing element for securing the floral container about the plurality of cut flowers.
Priority Applications (6)
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US11/582,640 US20070089361A1 (en) | 2005-10-20 | 2006-10-18 | Floral container and methods of use thereof |
PCT/US2006/040680 WO2007047742A2 (en) | 2005-10-20 | 2006-10-19 | Floral container and methods of use thereof |
CA002616372A CA2616372A1 (en) | 2005-10-20 | 2006-10-19 | Floral container and methods of use thereto |
US12/498,047 US20090265984A1 (en) | 2005-10-20 | 2009-07-06 | Floral container and methods of use thereof |
US12/728,762 US20100170153A1 (en) | 2005-10-20 | 2010-03-22 | Floral container and methods of use thereof |
US13/005,192 US20110099896A1 (en) | 2005-10-20 | 2011-01-12 | Floral container and methods of use thereof |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
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US72853905P | 2005-10-20 | 2005-10-20 | |
US11/582,640 US20070089361A1 (en) | 2005-10-20 | 2006-10-18 | Floral container and methods of use thereof |
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US12/498,047 Continuation US20090265984A1 (en) | 2005-10-20 | 2009-07-06 | Floral container and methods of use thereof |
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US12/498,047 Abandoned US20090265984A1 (en) | 2005-10-20 | 2009-07-06 | Floral container and methods of use thereof |
US12/728,762 Abandoned US20100170153A1 (en) | 2005-10-20 | 2010-03-22 | Floral container and methods of use thereof |
US13/005,192 Abandoned US20110099896A1 (en) | 2005-10-20 | 2011-01-12 | Floral container and methods of use thereof |
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US12/498,047 Abandoned US20090265984A1 (en) | 2005-10-20 | 2009-07-06 | Floral container and methods of use thereof |
US12/728,762 Abandoned US20100170153A1 (en) | 2005-10-20 | 2010-03-22 | Floral container and methods of use thereof |
US13/005,192 Abandoned US20110099896A1 (en) | 2005-10-20 | 2011-01-12 | Floral container and methods of use thereof |
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US20190183058A1 (en) * | 2017-12-19 | 2019-06-20 | Etaf Shaban | Insulated flower vessel device and method |
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US6662498B2 (en) * | 1997-04-11 | 2003-12-16 | Southpac Trust International, Inc. | Decorative assembly for a floral grouping |
US6543184B2 (en) * | 1997-04-11 | 2003-04-08 | Southpac Trust International, Inc. | Decorative assembly for a floral grouping |
US6725600B2 (en) * | 1997-04-11 | 2004-04-27 | Southpac Trust International, Inc. | Decorative assembly for a floral grouping |
US6453612B2 (en) * | 1997-04-11 | 2002-09-24 | Southpac Trust International, Inc. | Flexible vase |
US6427380B2 (en) * | 1997-04-11 | 2002-08-06 | Southpac Trust International, Inc. | Decorative assembly for a floral grouping |
US20020195366A1 (en) * | 2001-06-21 | 2002-12-26 | Castleberry Wayne Jackson | Floral container |
US6523301B2 (en) * | 2001-07-10 | 2003-02-25 | Vicke T. Delaney | Floral arranging device |
US20050204618A1 (en) * | 2003-12-03 | 2005-09-22 | Cardamone Lisa P | Floral design container system |
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US20070094924A1 (en) * | 2005-10-27 | 2007-05-03 | Wingerden Case V | Apparatus and method for receiving and transporting flowers |
US20080006168A1 (en) * | 2006-07-04 | 2008-01-10 | Wei-Chih Huang | Firework launching stand |
US20110186461A1 (en) * | 2008-09-16 | 2011-08-04 | Cadbury Uk Limited | Packaging |
US20120210639A1 (en) * | 2011-02-22 | 2012-08-23 | Cindy Cover | Vase and insert assembly for holding flowers, flags, balloons, and the like |
JP2015522323A (en) * | 2012-06-08 | 2015-08-06 | トーマス ワーダー,スタンレー | Folding vase |
US20150164248A1 (en) * | 2012-06-08 | 2015-06-18 | Stanley Thomas Warder | Foldable vase |
US8910417B1 (en) * | 2012-07-14 | 2014-12-16 | Douglas Reid Meyers | Cut flower container |
USD801805S1 (en) * | 2015-05-29 | 2017-11-07 | Korex Corporation | Storage container |
US10721874B2 (en) * | 2016-06-27 | 2020-07-28 | Michael J. Uglialoro | Flower delivery apparatus and method |
USD834447S1 (en) * | 2016-08-31 | 2018-11-27 | Karin van Smirren | Segmented vase |
US20190183058A1 (en) * | 2017-12-19 | 2019-06-20 | Etaf Shaban | Insulated flower vessel device and method |
USD887829S1 (en) * | 2019-12-27 | 2020-06-23 | Exclusive Healing, INC. | Container |
USD961451S1 (en) * | 2020-01-08 | 2022-08-23 | Robert John Ross | Plant pot |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US20110099896A1 (en) | 2011-05-05 |
WO2007047742A3 (en) | 2007-11-22 |
CA2616372A1 (en) | 2007-04-26 |
US20090265984A1 (en) | 2009-10-29 |
US20100170153A1 (en) | 2010-07-08 |
WO2007047742A2 (en) | 2007-04-26 |
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